Slide selector switch apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electrical switching apparatus including a pair of slide switches independently movable over current conducting slider bars which by correlated actuation over printed circuit conductors will establish a common electric circuit therethrough.

United States Patent Inventor Raymond G. Castle Highland Park, Ill.

App]. No. 852,778

Filed Aug. 25, 1969 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 Assignee Cherry Electrical Products Corporation Highland Park, Ill.

SLIDE SELECTOR SWITCH APPARATUS 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 200/l 6 R Int. Cl i H01h 15/00 Field of Search 200/16 R, 5

R, 167 R, 166 SD; 317/101 R; 335/161 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,178,523 4/1965 Farrell 200/16 R 3,146,320 8/1964 Wang et al...... 200/16 X 3,465,113 9/1969 Cherry et al. 200/16 X 3,467,922 9/1969 Greenwall, Jr. et al. 200/16 X 3,493,706 2/1970 Cherry et a1. 200/16 X Primary ExaminerJ. R. Scott Attorney-Edward C. Threedy ABSTRACT: An electrical switching apparatus including a pair of slide switches independently movable over current conducting slider bars which by correlated actuation over printed circuit conductors will establish a common electric circuit therethrough.

SLIDE SELECTOR SWITCH APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is to provide a switching apparatus that requires the independent yet correlated actuation of a pair of slide switches over a common printed circuit board. Each slide switch comprises an elongated current conducting slider bar fixedly carried by the printed circuit board over and above the printed circuit pattern thereon. A switch contact carrying slide or plunger is positioned over the slider bar and movable longitudinally thereof.

A housing is provided for each of the slider bars and plungers, with the latter normally projected out of one end of its housing and movable therethrough.

An extension spring is adapted to be connected between one end of the fixed slider bar and one end of the plunger with the spring functioning to normally position the plunger and the switch contact carried thereby in a noncircuit making position.

In its normal or unactuated position the plunger will be in a distended relation with respect to the open end of the housing under the tension of the spring associated in the manner hereinbefore noted.

In operation when an external object is moved against the exposed end of the plunger it will in turn be slidably projected into the housing over the slider bar, and will move its contact upon a printed circuit conductor. 1f the associated slide switch is likewise moved relative to its housing and over its slider bar, its switch contact will cooperate with the other slide switch and complete a desired circuit through the printed circuit board and the switch apparatus.

GENERAL DESCRlPTION The invention hereinafter described will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

FlG. l is a perspective view of the slide switch apparatus of this invention;

FlG.-2 is a fragmentary detailed sectional plan view of one of the slide switches associated with the switching apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing one of the slide switches in a fully actuated position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view of the contact carrying switch slide or plunger employed in this invention, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the switch contact mounted on the slider bar of the invention.

The slide selector switch apparatus of this invention is generally mounted in a cabinet and comprises a single component of a complete electrical device. As such there is provided a mounting base 10 which carries on one face thereof a printed circuit board 11 that includes a plurality of systematically arranged current conducting path patterns 12. Both the base 10 and printed circuit board 11 are generally U-shaped, as shown in FIG. 1, and provide parallelly extending legs 13 and 14 that tenninate into mounting flanges 15 and 16 by which the switch apparatus is mounted to a panel (not shown) of the cabinet.

Each of the legs 13 and 14 support a switchhousing l7 and 18, which are preferably constructed from a suitable insulating material, and have the same connected thereto by nuts and bolts 19. The switch housings are of a length to project beyond the mounting flanges 15 and 16 and thereby present an exposed end beyond the mounting panel of the cabinet.

Each of the switch housings 17 and 18 contain a slide switch, the construction of which is identical and, therefore, only one will be fully described.

The slide selector switch contained within the housing 18 includes a slider bar 20 which is fixedly carried by, yet insulated from, the base 10 in a plane perpendicular thereto. To

connect the slider bar 20 to the base 10 there is provided a terminal 21 at one end thereof which is adapted to be projected through a suitable slot formed in the printed circuit board 11 and through an enlarged opening formed in the base 10 and which provides lateral extensions 22 which are bent out of alignment with the slot formed in the base 10 and printed circuit board 11 to thus connect that end of the slider bar 20 thereto. Adjacent the other end of the slider bar 20 there is provided a connecting lug 23 which like the terminal 21 is projected through a suitable slot and which provides lateral extensions which are then deformed out of alignment with the slot connecting that end of the slider bar in place.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the slider bar 20 has an elongated slot 24 formed therein and provides a base rail 25 which defines one longitudinal edge of the slot 24 and which is normally positioned above and in spaced relation to the current conductive paths 12 printed on the printed circuit board 11. A switch contact 26 is mounted on the rail 25 and provides upwardly and diverging yieldable arms 27 the ends of which are positioned in the slot 24 and against the one wall 28 thereof to yieldably position the switch contact 26 upon the printed circuit board in much. the same manner as that shown and described in the Anderson et al. US. Pat. No. 3,205,319 dated Sept. 7, 1965.

The housing 18 has an opening 29 formed in its exposed end wall 30, and movable therethrough is a slide or plunger 31. The slide 31 consists of an elongated hollow member constructed from a suitable insulating material, and which is adapted to sit upon the slider bar 20 with the latter movable through the open end 32 of the slide or plunger 31 as shown in FIG. 3.

The slider bar 20 provides at one end adjacent the exposed end 30 of the housing 18 an arm 33 which extends laterally from and above the normal plane thereof. This arm 33 will project through an elongated slot 34 formed in the top wall 35 of the plunger 31.

The open end 32 of the plunger 31 provides an upstanding flange member 36 which has formed therein an opening 37 which extends coaxially to the longitudinal length of the plunger 31. One hooked end 38 of a coil spring 39 is projected through the opening 37 formed in the flange 36 provided by the plunger 31 while the opposite end of the spring 39 is hooked through an opening formed in the arm 33 provided by the slider bar 20. Under normal tension of the spring 39 the plunger 31 will be projected out of the opening 29 formed in the exposed end wall 30 of the housing 18 and the arm 33 of the slider bar 20 will be at one extremity of the slot 34 formed in the top wall 35 of the plunger 31.

In order to have the switch contact 26 movable with the plunger 31, the plunger 31 provides within its internal cavity confronting wall abutments 40 and 41 carried by the inner surfaces of the sidewalls 42 and 43, respectively, of the plunger 31 as shown in FIG. 5. The abutment 40 provides a laterally extending lug 44 which projects beneath the corresponding end of the wall abutment 41. This lug 44 is adapted to be placed beneath the rail 25 and into the center of the switch contact 26, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. By this arrangement the switch contact 26 is movable over the current conductive paths 12 of the printed circuit board 11 whenever the plunger 31 -is moved over the slider bar 20 into and out of the housing 18.

The top wall 35 of the plunger 31 provides a stop shoulder 45 that engages the end wall 30 of the housing 18, and arrests the outward movement of the plunger 31 under action of the spring 39, in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

From the foregoing it is apparent that when the plunger 31 is moved over the slider bar 20 and into the housing 18 by reason of an external force moving against its exposed end 46, the switch contact 26 connected thereto will be caused to move over and into contact with one of the current conductive paths 12. When a corresponding external force is applied against the exposed end 47 of the plunger 48 of the slide switch contained in the housing 17 such that its switch contact moves over and into contact with the same current conductive path 12, a complete electric circuit will be completed through the switching apparatus. Upon removal of the external force, the spring 39 will immediately return the plunger 31 to its original position as shown in FIG. 3.

To assure proper contact between the switch contact 26 and any of the current conducting paths 12 an adjusting screw 49 is threaded into the end wall 50 of the plunger 31. Thus by movement of the adjusting screw 49 proper placement of the contact 26 upon the printed circuit board 11 by correlated movement of the plunger 31 is assured.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a slide selector switch apparatus including a baseplate and a printed circuit board mounted on one face thereof providing a plurality of current conductive paths over which a switch contact slidably mounted on a circuit conductive slide bar is adapted to be selectively moved, wherein the improvement comprises:

a. a current conductive slide bar fixedly connected to the base and extending over and above the current conductive paths of the printed circuit board,

b. an elongated substantially rectangularly shaped hollow housing mounted on the base'plate over and above the current conductive slide bar and having a partially open end, 7

. a hollow plunger within said housing having one end normally extending out of and movable through said open end of said housing, said plunger having a slotted top and open inner end so as to be positioned upon and extending over the sides of said slide bar and movable longitudinally thereover,

. a switch contact member carried by the inner end of said plunger within said housing and movable therewith beneath said slide bar and over the printed circuit board, and

. means within said housing and connected between the inner end of said plunger and one end of said slide bar for yieldably maintaining said one end of said plunger in an extended position out of said open end of said housing.

2. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means provided by said plunger for connecting the switch contact thereto and said plunger on said slider bar comprises a lug within the cavity of said plunger extending perpendicularly to the length thereof, and which is projected below a portion of said slide bar and into captive engagement with the switch contact positioned thereon.

3. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means within said housing and connected between said fixed slider bar and said plunger comprises a coil spring expandable by movement of said plunger in one direction over said slider bar and which maintains said plunger in one position upon said slider bar.

4. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 3 including a stop provided by said plunger engageable with a wall portion provided by the open end of said switch housing for arresting movement of said plunger over said slider bar and through said housing in one direction under tension of said spring.

5. in a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 including an adjusting means carried by one end of said plunger whereby selective positioning of said plunger and the switch contact carried thereby relative to the current conductive paths of the printed circuit board can be selectively determined.

6. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said slide bar provides a laterally extending arm which projects through a slot formed in the top wall of said plunger and wherein said plunger providesa corresponding lateral extension with said arm and said extension having connected therebetween said means for yieldably resisting movement of said plunger in one direction through said housing and over said slider bar.

7. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein said slide bar provides a laterally extending arm which projects through a slot formed in the top wall of said plunger and wherein said plunger provides a corresponding lateral extension with said arm and said extension having connected therebetween said coil spring for yieldably resisting movement of said plunger in one direction through said housing and over said slider bar.

8. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 including a pair of switches in separate housings and providing slidable plungers adapted to complement each other to complete a circuit through the circuit conductive paths common thereto upon identical degrees of movement of said plungers through their respective housings.

. 9. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 8 wherein each plunger of each switch provides an adjusting means whereby its movable positioning over said printed circuit board can be selectively determined. 

1. In a slide selector switch apparatus including a baseplate and a printed circuit board mounted on one face thereof providing a plurality of current conductive paths over which a switch contact slidably mounted on a circuit conductive slide bar is adapted to be selectively moved, wherein the improvement comprises: a. a current conductive slide bar fixedly connected to the base and extending over and above the current conductive paths of the printed circuit board, b. an elongated substantially rectangularly shaped hollow housing mounted on the baseplate over and above the current conductive slide bar and having a partially open end, c. a hollow plunger within said housing having one end normally extending out of and movable through said open end of said housing, said plunger having a slotted top and open inner end so as to be positioned upon and extending over the sides of said slide bar and movable longitudinally thereover, d. a switch contact member carried by the inner end of said plunger within said housing and movable therewith beneath said slide bar and over the printed circuit board, and e. means within said housing and connected between the inner end of said plunger and one end of said slide bar for yieldably maintaining said one end of said plunger in an extended position out of said open end of said housing.
 2. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means provided by said plunger for connecting the switch contact thereto and said plunger on said slider bar comprises a lug within the cavity of said plunger extending perpendicularly to the length thereof, and which is projected below a portion of said slide bar and into captive engagement with the switch contact positioned thereon.
 3. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said means within said housing and connected between said fixed slider bar and said plunger comprises a coil spring expandable by movement of said plunger in one direction over said slider bar and which maintains said plunger in one pOsition upon said slider bar.
 4. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 3 including a stop provided by said plunger engageable with a wall portion provided by the open end of said switch housing for arresting movement of said plunger over said slider bar and through said housing in one direction under tension of said spring.
 5. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 including an adjusting means carried by one end of said plunger whereby selective positioning of said plunger and the switch contact carried thereby relative to the current conductive paths of the printed circuit board can be selectively determined.
 6. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said slide bar provides a laterally extending arm which projects through a slot formed in the top wall of said plunger and wherein said plunger provides a corresponding lateral extension with said arm and said extension having connected therebetween said means for yieldably resisting movement of said plunger in one direction through said housing and over said slider bar.
 7. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein said slide bar provides a laterally extending arm which projects through a slot formed in the top wall of said plunger and wherein said plunger provides a corresponding lateral extension with said arm and said extension having connected therebetween said coil spring for yieldably resisting movement of said plunger in one direction through said housing and over said slider bar.
 8. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 1 including a pair of switches in separate housings and providing slidable plungers adapted to complement each other to complete a circuit through the circuit conductive paths common thereto upon identical degrees of movement of said plungers through their respective housings.
 9. In a slide selector switch apparatus as defined by claim 8 wherein each plunger of each switch provides an adjusting means whereby its movable positioning over said printed circuit board can be selectively determined. 